Conveyer drive



March 28, 1944. P, NE 2,345,355

CONVEYER DRIVE Filed Oct. 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 28, 1944. NEAL 2,345,355

CONVEYER DRIVE Filed Oct. 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 five/72%;;

@arzzi j. fea/ Patented Mar. 28, 1944 ooNvEYEn DRIVE Morris P. Neal, Quincy 111., assignor to A-B-O Packaging Machine Company, Quincy, Ill.

Application October 30, 1941, Serial No. 417,119

6 Claims.

This invention relates to packaging machines, and particularly to means for governing the spacing between packages or cartons being handled on machines for sealing filled cartons,

so as to eii'ect savings in space not previously possible with such machines.

The sealing machines chosen to exemplify a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprise means for advancing cartons to the flaps of which adhesive has just been applied under the continuing action of a pressure member, which holds the flaps firmly together, until the adhesive has set, and the cartons thus have become firmly sealed.

In practical operation, adhesive is applied to the flaps of a filled carton, and this carton is then brought to enter the machine. A carton carrying and a pressure applying member are actuated by the entry of the carton, and move the carton forward sufliciently to provide space for the following carton. However, because of inertia, and of the character and limitations of the motion controlling means heretofore employed, the cartons heretofore have always moved forward somewhat more than has been necessary to provide space for the entry into the machine of the following carton. Thus, there has been in the sealing machines of prior art an empty waste space between the cartons, which has necessitated a longer, and thus a more expensive and cumbersome machine, than is necessary when this waste spac is eliminated so that the cartons move through the machine end to end, fully utilizing the capacity of the ma.- chine.

A principal object of this invention is a machine for sealing filled cartons, in which the cartons travel through the machine end to end, sub stantially without any intermediate waste space.

Anotherv object is a packaging machine, in which articles are conveyed more closely spaced than has heretofore been possible. I

Another object is novel means for compensating for inertia efiects in handling articles in conjunction with packaging operations.

Further objects will become apparent from the following detailed description.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for sealing filled cartons in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a part of the regulating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a type of carton which my improved apparatus is designed to seal.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral I indicates the frame of the machine shown here as consisting of a pair of channels 2 supported on legs 3 arranged at desired intervals along their length. Upon these channels 2 is mounted a series of rollers 4 serving as support for the cartons in their passage through the machine. The rollers are transversely mounted in the channels and closely spaced. Around them is placed an endless belt 6 preferably of heavy material and having an appreciable thickness. The belt is supported at one end upon the driving pulley I (Fig. 1) and at the opposite end upon an idler roller 8 (Fig. 3), and is driven from a suitable source of power, such as an electric motor 9 suitably mounted, for example, upon the lower portion of the frame and driving the pulley I by means of reducing gears I0 and a sprocket chain (not shown).

The upper portion of the frame resembles the lower portion in construction in that it likewise comprises channels I2, rollers I3 mounted in these channels and abelt I4, preferably of heavy material and having an appreciable thickness. The rollers I3 are secured at their ends in the channels I2 by vertical pins 29 secured in the channels, and passing through holes in the ends of the roller shafts. Thus, the rotation of the rolls is unimpeded, and they are movable within the channels vertically, but not h0riz0n tally. Springs I5 are urging the rollers towards the lower ends of th channels. The channels l2 are rigidly connected with each other by means of cross bars I6. This entire upper channel assembly is supported by four racks I1, and is movable vertically on these racks, by means of a worm and worm wheel I8 and a crank I9. Thus, the distance between the upper channel assembly and the lower channel assembly can be readily adjusted to accommodate packages of differ ent sizes.

For any given size carton the upper channel assembly is adjusted so that the cartons when introduced will raise the rollers I3 slightly against the pressure of their springs I5.

The frame I is preferably provided at the receiving end with a roller table 20 and at its discharge end provision is made (not shown) for receiving and further dispatching or handling the sealed cartons.

switches are rigidly connected with trip bars 24 and 25, by means of plates 26. The paddles of the trip bars are positioned so that they will not in any mannerobstruct the passage thereover of a carton, but when a carton is passing thereover will tilt the switches, so as to close the current.

If the motor is driven by multiphase current;

then obviously more than one mercury tubeswitch will be required instead of each of the switches 22 and 23, in order to actuate the motor; In' a carton is passing overboth' 24 and 25, theimotorrll rwill"run,

any event when of the trip bars, moving the carton forward by means of'the conveyer belt 6, and when one of thetrip bars,.the current-will be broken, and the action of the motor 9 discontinued.

From the abovedescriptionthefunction of the machine is apparent. A- carton. comes to the machine upon completion of a precedingfilling operation, with theflaps folded but? unsealed. It is placed on the receiving table the overlapping facesof the unsealed flaps are coated with adhesive, and are pressed together. The carton is then pushed into the presser mechanism, over the-trip barsZland 25. As the second of these bars is tilted by the carton, the current is closed, the motor starts and the carton is oarriediorward into-the machine, until the trailing edge ofthe carton leaves the first of the trip bars (24). The current is then-broken, and the motor ceases to operate. Because of inertia, the belt, and carton carriedthereby, will continue to move for a shortdistance and the distance between. the trip barsM and 25 has been selected so that the. cartonwill come to a stop at, or preferably immediately beyond the second trip bar (25). Thus, when th following carton is brought to enter the machine, the-motor will not be started until this second carton isimmediately adjacent to the preceding carton, with no intermediate space between them.

The distancethe carton will be carried by inertia is generally characteristic of the machine, since the inertiaof: the motor and of other heavy moving-parts so greatly exceeds that of the cartons, as to render practically negligible the influence of the weight of the cartons upon the distance they will be carried-by inertia upon dis.- connection of the-current-to the motor. However, in unusualandextreme cases, particularly when very heavy and: very light material, such as for example, lead shot: and absorbent cotton, are-being run on-the same machine, I may prefer to provide an adjustmentinot shown) so that the distance between the: trip bars can be changed to compensate for the difierences' in inertia between. the. extremely heavy an'd: the extremely light cartons.

In automatically actuated sealing machines' of prior art there has been a waste space between the cartons of the machine, because of the in ertia of the moving parts. This waste space between cartonsis clearly illustrated for example, in Figure 1' of U; S. Patent 1,432,197 to Kimball, where the cartons in the machine are shown to be separated by a distanceof approximately of the length of. the carton,v and where, with the machine filled, the packagesoccupy. only the carton leaveseither (il /2% oi the sealing space, so that th machine is utilized only to the extent of 6'7 of its potential capacity.

In contradistinction, the machine of this invention, substantially eliminates the waste space between the cartons, by mechanically compensating for the inertia of the moving parts and the carton, as fully described above. In this manner more than of the sealing space of the machine is utilized, with corresponding savings in dimensions, cost andeffic'acy.

While a specific embodiment has been described above, for purposes of illustration, the invention is clearly not limited to this particular form. The invention is applicable broadly to the intermittent conveying of objects, wherever close spacing-is'desirable; Instead of the trip bars and the mercury" tube switches disclosed, I may use any means for closing electric circuits which can be actuated by the passage of an object. Thus, I may use. not only.- pressureoperableswitch means, but also. relays. actuated. by. photoelectric cell means operating when thepassage' of'the-carton obstructs lightbeams spaced. so. that the distance between the beams substantially. equals the distance the carton will. travel by inertia after the current tothe motor has been switched off. Further, if th cartonsare conductors of' electricity, or have coverings or inlayswhich are conductors, IJmay. prefer to conductthe. current through the cartonsthemselves, substituting con.- tact'brushes forthe trip bars, anddpending on the contact of av conductingpart of. the. cartons with these brushes to open andlclosethecircuit to the motor,.directly or,.when.' larger loads; are necessary, by means of. relays...

While I usually findit preferable to. employ two separate switch means,. spaced apart by a distance equalto that traveled by the cartonby inertia, afterthe advancing. power. has been dis,- connected; I may accomplish. the same resultjb y having a single switch means, .in conjunction with cartons of such uneven form (ifatripbaris em, ployed); conductivity (if electrical conductivity of the carton is dependedupon); or coloringpattern (if photoelectric actuatinggmeans are used), or otherwiseirregular in. character that the sin..- le switch means I is released and. the. current to. the motor thus disconnectedwhen only apart of the carton has passed theactuatingposition,

be limited only by thefollowingiclaims,.in which it. is. intended. toclaim the. subject v matter. of "the invention as broadly as; possible,v in: viewofprior art.

I claim:

1. In a packaging machine, means for advancing the article inthe machine, means. for. start ing the action of saidadvancing means when the leading edge of an article has reached a certain predetermined station on the machine, and

means for discontinuing the. action of theadvancing means when the trailing'edge of the ar ticle has passed a. point preceding-that. at which the leading edge actuatedltl'le.startingmeans and separated therefrom by a distance substantially equal to the distance which the article will move by inertia, after the power actuating the advancing means has been disconnected.

2. In a machine for sealing filled cartons, a presser member for applying pressure to the flaps of the carton, means for advancing the carton into the machine under the action of said presser member, a motor actuating said advancing means, means for starting the motor automatically when the leading end of a carton enters under the presser member, and other means for discontinuing the action of the motor when the trailing end of the carton has passed a point preceding that at which the leading edge actuated the means starting the motor, and separated therefrom by a distance substantially equal to the distance which the carton will travel by inertia, after the action of the motor has been discontinued.

3. In a machine for sealing filled cartons, means for applying pressure to the carton flaps, means for conveying the cartons through the machine, an electric motor actuating said conveying means, two switches in circuit with said motor so that the motor is operated when both of these switches are actuated by a carton, and is stopped when the carton ceases to actuate one of the switches, the distance between the said switches being substantially equal to the distance the carton will be carried by inertia, afterthe power to the motor has been disconnected.

4. In a machine for sealing filled cartons, means for applying pressure to the-carton flaps, means for advancing the carton through the machine, and a motor actuating said advancing means, the starting of said motor being controlled by a current-breaking device actuated by the leading edge of the carton and the stopping of said motor being controlled by a separate current breaking device actuated by the trailing edge 7 of the carton, the said devices being spaced so that when the motion of the carton is arrested, the trailing edge Will rest substantially at the point where the leading edge actuated the advancing means.

5. In a packaging machine, means for conveying the carton through the machine, an electric motor actuating said conveying means, and two separate automatic means so spaced as to connect the motor to its power supply during the introduction of a carton and to disconnect it when the carton and the advancing means have gained a momentum sufilcient to carry the carton by inertia so far that the total travel of the carton is substantially equal to its length.

6. In a machine for sealing filled cartons, a presser member for applying pressure to the flaps of the carton, means for advancing the carton into the machine under the action of said presser member, a motor actuating said advancing means, means for starting the motor automatically when the leading end of a carton enters under the presser member, and separate means spaced so as to stop the motor automatically when the trailing end of the carton passes a point preceding that at which the leading edge started the motor, and separated therefrom by a distance substantially equal to the distance the carton will travel by inertia, after the motor'has been stopped; said separate means comprising a, pressure switch, the release of which will disconnect the power actuating the motor.

MORRIS P. NEAL. 

